Racconto
by Aeon3valefore
Summary: Day by day, we slowly die. Day by day, we move ever closer to our calling in life. Day by day, we change. Days go by, and people always seem so obedient to the times, to their fate. But when people actually rise against their fates, the whole world can change. This is the story of a lost soul that rises to the top, but then falls into despair. (Guilty Crown's owner's Production I.G
1. Chapter 1

Day by day, we slowly die. Day by day, we move ever closer to our calling in life. Day by day, we change. Days go by, and people always seem so obedient to the times, to their fate. But when people actually rise against their fates, the whole world can change. This is the story of a lost soul that rises to the top, but then falls into despair.

Chapter 1 - Family

The air was covered in thick smoke created by fire, screams and sirens echoed throughout the area as buildings crumbled and cries of families were heard. In the destruction, a young boy slowly woke up, with a younger child underneath him who was unconscious. He looked around as they were surrounded by ruble.

"Niko… Niko!" the shouted, shaking the young boy, but he wouldn't wake up. The boy hoisted Niko to be carried on his back. When he tried to get up, he staggered in pain as his right leg seemed to have a deep leg, which made walking hard. But that didn't stop him as he began limping out of the rubble of ruined buildings. "I'll get us out of here Niko…"

The boy climbed over crumbled rocks, keeping Niko and himself low to the ground so the smoke doesn't suffocate them. Once he got to the top of a pile of rubble he saw a horrific sight. A girl with long pink hair and red eyes was standing in a tremendous blaze of fire. The girl had purple crystal shards coating parts of her body, making her look less human. Her expression was one of a broken mind as her eyes were widen and she didn't say a word as her eyes looked at his direction, but towards him directly. The girl was then engulfed by flames and crystal shards scattered the whole area.

The same boy shot up from his bed, but not at the same age. Years passed since that incident, and the boy was now seventeen. He rubbed his eyes as he tried to forget the dream he just had. Knocking was then heard at the door of his bedroom.

"Wake up Aeon! You said you would take me to the mall yesterday!" a young voice was heard.

"Coming Niko, give me a second!" the boy named Aeon called back. He got up and started to change into clothing.

Niko, in his school uniform waited for him. Aeon came out of his room, wearing a green jacket, white under shirt and brown pants that matched his shoes.

"You don't have any homework or anything like that?" Aeon asked.

"Nope. I got everything done before classes were over. Come on, let's get going," Niko said before rushing off.

"Hold on Niko, we need to pay our respects first," Aeon said.

The two boys kneel before two graves at a graveyard that they lived close by. The two closed their eyes and bowed their heads, praying for the two to be resting in peace.

After a while Niko looked up and said, "It's really been five years since mom died… Time flies…"

"And a year since dad died," Aeon noted.

"I can barely remember mom. Do you?"

"I do… It's a shame you don't. You were only nine since Lost Christmas happened."

"I wonder what things would be like if dad hadn't died."

"Well one thing we would have little more food. But he stopped being a farther way before he died. I mean, he still worked and tried to pay for us, but he wasn't supportive for us, he wasn't the same as before."

"You were working hard too Aeon. We would be on the streets if you hadn't started working like you do now."

"Well, I had a little bit of help. After all our folks had close friends willing to help."

"Still, you were brave and didn't waver. Like a hero," Niko said, smiling up at him.

Aeon smiled and ruffled his head. "Come on. Let's head to the mall."

The two rode the subway towards the main city. Niko was listening to music on a CD player while Aeon looked out the window, watching the view. The two were poor, but not homeless. Aeon worked two jobs as he paid for their food and kept his younger brother in school. They didn't had much, but they didn't care as they had each other, and that was all that mattered to them.

Aeon heard two high school students gossiping about a group called Funeral Parlor. Hearing them made Aeon's blood boil a bit, for that terrorist group's actions caused the death of their farther. Just a man trying to get by, wanting to come home to his kids, only to get caught in the crossfire of both GHQ and Funeral Parlor. GHQ might be their government, but he knew that their system was corrupt, and he could guess why Funeral Parlor would rage a small war with them, but that doesn't mean that it's right when innocent lives get mixed in with all of this. He would prefer not to get involved, especially while he still has Niko to look after.

The two spent the day shopping and doing fun things. Aeon saved enough money for the two to play a little in the arcades, shop for new music, and get nice snacks.

"Hey Aeon, what do you think of this band called EGOIST?" Niko asked, pointing at a monitor. It displayed the main singer, singing a song that sounded quite sad.

Aeon stared at the woman on the monitor for a second. "I don't need depressing music in my life. I'm surprised she isn't wearing Goth make up," he said.

"Don't be like that. I think she is really pretty. Her music isn't about her really, she's singing for the people, since the virus and all."

"She does have a nice voice, but I prefer that we try to look things positive."

"Would you at least give her music a shot? They're more than 'depressing' music."

"Alright. Do you have a crush on her or something?" Aeon asked with a smirk.

"I-It's not like that! I just find her cool is all…"

"Well it's not like we're going to meet her. Let's head home now," Aeon said before continuing to walk.

The two siblings decided to take a scenic route, going through a alley with normal size houses, flowers surrounding the place. It was a nice scene to be sure. That is until they heard screaming of a child and a woman.

"Stay here," Aeon said before rushing to check what was going on. Staying low he peaked around a corner of a building and saw soldiers having their guns on people, a child crying out to his mother as she begged for them to leave him be, saying her wasn't infected. That's when a man with blonde hair approached the scene. Aeon couldn't hear the details, but once the woman touched him he began beating on her. Aeon's teeth were shown as he was fueled with anger, but he knew he couldn't do anything to stop it. Seeing this violence, this senseless abuse was pathetic to him, as he had been the victim of situations like this.

"Aeon!" Niko's voice shouted, causing the older brother to rush to where he had left him.

Aeon stopped when guns were aimed at him, as three other soldiers had found his brother, one holding him hostage. "We're just passing through, we haven't done anything!" Aeon shouted.

"Anyone in this district is a threat to spreading the Apocalypse Virus. Any threats must be terminated," one soldier said that was holding Niko.

Niko raised his leg and kicked back to hit the man's crotch. Aeon took this change to rush over and punch a soldier on the left before picking Niko up and carrying him out, ducking from bullets being fired at them. They ran as quickly as they could, but they couldn't run forever. Aeon saw a busted pipe in the trash. He took it and busted a door open in a abandoned house, rushing in there to hide. The soldiers followed, turning lights on and began searching the house. The three split up to cover more ground. One headed into the kitchen, seeing the back door left open. He was about to call his squad that they got away, but Aeon moved in behind and bashed him on the head with the pipe, knocking him out. The noise got the other soldier's attention. Aeon rushed out to the left exit, only to get stopped by a soldier. The soldier was about to fire until he was knocked to the side by a bowling ball Niko found, who was on the stairs. Aeon repeatedly whacked the soldier with the pipe until he stop moving, but not dead. Aeon was about to get his gun, but the last soldier came in the room and fired at Aeon. Aeon barely dodged the bullets and rushed up stairs with Niko. The two rushed into the left hallway and hid in one of the rooms. The soldier was on their tail and when he luckily found Niko in one room, Aeon came from the right and whacked the soldier's gun out of his hand before tackling him. The two wrestled on the ground, Aeon getting punched in the face, getting a bleeding nose. Aeon was kicked off before the soldier scrambled for his gun, but Aeon quickly got up and put the pipe over his neck, choking him. The two struggled, stepping back in the hall and getting close to the stairs. The soldier pulled out a knife and stabbed Aeon's leg before kicking him down the stairs. Aeon had dropped the pipe as he fell down. He groaned in pain as he tried to get up, but saw the soldier holding his pipe and standing before him.

"I'm going to take my time with you," the soldier said before whacking Aeon with the pipe across the face.

Aeon fell to the ground and spat out blood before he yelped in pain as his back was hit by the pipe.

"Aeon!" Niko yelled before tackling the soldier, holding on tight to him, but it was no use as the soldier tore him off and threw him against the wall. Niko coughed in pain as the soldier kicked his stomach.

With a yell in anger, Aeon suddenly sprang up and punched the soldier in the face. He went for another but was hit in the ribs, causing Aeon to fall on his knees as one was broken. He looked up at the soldier in anger, wanting to tear him to shreds. Aeon felt a surge of power come over him. "I won't let you hurt him! I won't let people like you ruin lives!"

The soldier was about to bash Aeon's brains in until the pipe was grabbed by someone. The soldier looked back and saw a man with dark blue hair, wearing a black cloak that covered his body, having azure eyes.

The mysterious man yanked the pipe out of the soldier's hands and then kicked him away. The soldier drew his knife and then went to slice at the man's chest. The man evaded one swing before grabbing the soldier's hand when he tried the second one. The man twisted the soldier's hand snapped his arm with the pipe. The soldier yelled in pain as he dropped his knife, backing away when the man let go of him. Suddenly the man's hand was in the soldier's view, and before he knew it a sphere of blue flame formed and fired right in his face. The force sent the soldier flying through the wall.

Aeon and Niko looked at the man that just saved their lives, amazed at the mysterious power he just displayed.

The man approached them and offered his hand to Aeon. "Can you stand?" he asked.

Aeon reached up and took hold of it, getting a helping hand to stand. Aeon groaned as he held his right side where his rib broke. The man took Aeon's arm and put it over his shoulder to support him. "We should go, GHQ will be back, and in greater numbers," the man said.

The three exited the house, only to get knocked to the ground by the blast radius of a large explosion.

"Has this place turn into a war zone?!" Aeon shouted.

"Funeral Parlor and GHQ must be going at it," the man said before helping the kids up.

Aeon growled, hating the destruction the two sides cause.

It took until the sun was setting that the three arrived at Niko and Aeon's home. Niko rushed to get their medical kit.

The man began to help Aeon remove his torso clothing. "Hold still," the man said as his hand glowed blue and he placed it on his wounds. Aeon flinched, not sure what he was doing, but he began to relax and saw his wounds slowly being healed. Niko had returned but saw the work the man was doing, fully healing his brother.

"Wow… Thank you," Aeon said.

The man got up and turned to leave.

"Wait, what's your name?" Niko asked.

"Barloc," the man answered.

"How are you able to do that?"

"It's a secret."

"… Well…. How can we thank you?"

"That won't be necessary. I was just passing by," Barloc said before he left.

Aeon got up and rushed after him outside. "Wait!" he called out before he caught up to him. "Barloc, right….? Train me," he said with a serious look on his face. "I want to become strong like you."

"Don't think I'll lend my gift to anyone. It's not yours to abuse."

"You think I don't know that? But the powers Funeral Parlor and GHQ have is something they abuse, and innocent people get caught in the cross fire," Aeon said before getting on his knees and bowing down to him. "Please… I'm willing to put my whole life on the line if it means my brother can live without fear."

Barloc looked at Aeon, feeling a sense of relatedness towards him. He could see a part of himself in the young boy. "Meet me tonight under the subway bridge. Do not tell anyone, not even your brother."

Aeon looked up and smiled, nodding in understanding. He got up and went back to his home while Barloc left.

At the dead of night, Aeon had snuck out while Niko was sleeping and rushed to meet Barloc. The sound of the subway traveling echoed under the bridge where Aeon was told to meet. He looked around for Barloc until a flash of light blinded him. Barloc had turned on lanterns for them and put them against the support beams for the bridge.

"So, when are we going to start training? I was wondering if you could teach me tha-," Aeon was speaking until Barloc dashed at him and punched his chest, causing him to slide against the ground a bit. Aeon coughed and got up. "What was that for?! No ground rules or introductions?! Sure, I like to cut to the chase but-," Aeon was interrupted again as Barloc threw a kick, and then a punch. Aeon saw him bring his hands together to slam them on his head, but he blocked it with his arms and then kicked him in the stomach to push him back, but it didn't phase Barloc much.

"That was a good counter," Barloc said.

"Wait… What are you-," Aeon asked before he was grabbed by the collar of his shirt and thrown over Barloc's shoulder to the ground, knocking the wind out of him.

"Get up kid. Your enemy won't wait for you."

"B-But…. You're not the enemy…"

"Don't you want to fulfill your goal?"

"Of course I do… I want what you have," Aeon said as he moved to get up but fell on his knees due to pain. "The power of the elite. The walk among those with high respect so my brother can live without fear. So I can stop the careless and dictating actions of those damn organizations…! I want to end this needless bloodshed."

"If that's true, then you have to give up your life to me if you want my power. You will do everything I say, and you will treat me like your master. If disobey, if I grow tired of you, or if you show no progress at all. Than your life is forfeit."

"I meant what I said. I can be your damn pet to kick around, or be used for any sick imagination you have. Whatever it is, I gladly submit."

"Good. But first, you must get up."

Aeon used all his will power to get up, regardless of the bruises he had.

"Your reaction time is poor, we will work on that through two days. During those two days, I will attack you however I please. Do not let your guard down around me for even a second."

"Okay," Aeon said. He just saw Barloc standing there, waiting. "O-Oh!" Aeon quickly got ready to defend himself.

Barloc rushed at him and grabbed Aeon's arms before kneeing his stomach and slamming down to the ground.

Aeon groaned and said, to himself, "What have I gotten myself into?"

Barloc grew a smirk on his face.


	2. Chapter 2

Racconto

Chapter 2 – Aura

It has been almost a month now since Aeon had begun his training. Since Niko was out to school, Aeon and Barloc had begun today's training. Normally Aeon would be working, but Barloc had been paying for their food in a lie that Aeon had gotten a promotion, when reality he had to quit his job. Aeon didn't know how he had gotten so much money, but he didn't question it. The two were at the woods, Barloc holding a timer.

"3...2...1… Go!" Barloc started the timer right when Aeon started running the obstacle course the two have made.

Aeon leaped over logs, jumped from stump to stump rapidly and ran across brick wall they made before he leaped off of it and got Barloc in a sleeper hold. "Ha! Got ya!" he cheered, but was then thrown to the ground.

"Cut that out," Barloc said before checking the timer. "Ten seconds. You're improving faster than I expected."

"Oh? Correct me if I'm wrong, but I detect a bit of praise in your voice," Aeon said with a grin.

"Don't get carried away. There's still time where you might give up, and you know what happens after that."

"I know master. But I'm not giving up, not after all you have taught me in almost a month."

"You might fall short in the next step. For now, rest up for a bit," Barloc said before walking away in his thoughts. " _Aeon has improved greatly, and I sense the hidden power he is slowly tapping in… He might be useful."_

Aeon sat with legs crossed before Barloc.

"Today, you will be learning how to tap into a spiritual energy called aura," Barloc said.

"Aura?" Aeon asked.

"Aura is a spiritual essence in every living being. You have it, I have it, and even animals have it. But with practice we can actually manipulate it to defend ourselves," Barloc said before conjuring an aura sphere in his hand. "It can give you many abilities, but it is up to you to unlock them, for everyone's aura is different."

Aeon nodded in understanding before getting up and standing beside Barloc.

"We will start by making an aura sphere. The energy of aura is all around us, in and out. Positive energy and negative energy. Only a select few can separate these energies naturally. This creates an imbalance. The energy wants to restore balance, and in the moment the positive and negative energies come crashing back together. You provide with peace and balance, creating aura," Barloc said before stretching his arms out and then bringing them together to make it look like he is holding an invisible ball, pulls the hands back to his side and aura begins to form into a sphere. Barloc then fires the sphere at a tree and a massive hole is made on the tree before is comes falling down.

"I'm ready to try it!" Aeon said excitingly.

"Remember, once you separate the energy you don't control it, you are its humble guide. Breath first."

Aeon took a deep breath. He followed Barloc's exact movements to the last detail. When he held his hands together he could feel the aura building up inside. But when he went to fire, an explosion of blue flame appeared and he was knocked to the ground with a few burn marks. "I thought I had it!"

"Patience. You should find yourself lucky. Not many people can conjure aura on their first try like you did. That's a special gift."

Aeon nodded and tried again. A full hour went by, and the results ended the same.

"ARGH! Why can't I do it?! It keeps exploding in my face!" Aeon yelled.

Barloc finished drinking tea he had made for them before getting up and approaching Aeon. "I was afraid of this. You won't be able to use aura until you deal with the turmoil inside you," he said.

"What turmoil?"

"You must let go of any feelings of shame. That can lead to your anger."

"But I don't feel any shame and…. I can't help but feel angry," Aeon said, looking down.

"True humility is the only antidote. You can feel anger, you can feel all kinds of emotions, but you need to have control over them."

"Well… My life has been everything but humbly for years now…"

Barloc took a moment to think before saying with a smirk, "I have an idea. I'll teach you a method of channeling aura that no one knows. Because I made it up myself."

Aeon sat on the ground as Barloc stood before him.

"Through my years, I have discovered many ways to channel aura. But I find this method to be the true way to channel it," Barloc said as he held a stick.

"How do you know that?" Aeon asked.

"Once you trigger it, you will feel it." Barloc began to draw shapes, one being a flame, another a rock, one water, and the other air. "Aura relates to the natural elements. Fire for our souls represents power, will, desire, and strive to achieve what you want. Earth is substance, you are diverse and strong, persistent and enduring. Air is freedom, you detach yourself from worldly concerns. You find peace and freedom in your mind and spirit. Water is change. You adapt too many things, having a deep sense of community and love that holds you together through anything."

"Where did you learn this?"

"I travel through the world, learning from cultures, and discovering super natural allies and foes, all teaching me life lessons. If you learn from one place, you become rigid and stale," Barloc said as he drew a cross between the elements. "Understanding others, other elements, nations, people, will help you become whole."

"It sounds like world peace…"

"Isn't that what you want?"

"Yes… I'm starting to see why people might do what they do. If everyone were to just learn from one another, the positive and negative, we could become a whole nation, a whole planet even."

Barloc smiled at him, proud that he picked up on this nature so fast, he could sense the anger fading away from him.

"The technique deals with the flow of energy," Barloc said as the two faced each other, moving their hands and arms together in push from side-to-side motion, shifting their bodies with the flow of the movement. "You make your defense become your offense, turning their opponent's energy against them."

"You can redirect a person's energy?"

"There's another way to do it, but that is using physical attacks. Hitting someone's pressure points can block off their energy, but what we are learning is making the ultimate defense. You would be able to heal from many status, pressure points, poison, or even someone using their aura against you with your aura alone."

"What's the secret?"

Barloc stopped and said, "If you let the energy in your own body flow, the aura will follow it, in and out. You must create a path way for them to enter, one through the finger tips." He spread his arms out, fingers spread and began to move them in a circle motion in front of him, both moving opposite from one another. "Up your arms towards the shoulders," he said as he pulled his arms towards him, hands inches away at his stomach. "And then down to your stomach, the sea of your aura. From your stomach you direct it up again and out from your hands," he said as he thrust his hands out. "This creates the true method on channeling aura. Best way to understand the flow is to practice a physical motion to feel the aura's flow, like this."

The two pointed their middle and index fingers up with stretched out arms, pointing horizontal. One hand moves down to the stomach, then up to point in the opposite direction, leaving the other hand to follow the other afterwards.

"Are you focusing your aura? Can you feel your own energy flowing in, down, up and out?" Barloc asked.

"Yes, I can," Aeon said, his eyes slowly closing as the movement became second nature.

The two practiced the movement for a good hour until the two stopped.

"Excellent, I can feel your aura flowing freely. Now let's put you to the test," Barloc said.

"How?"

"I'm going to throw an aura sphere at you, and it will be a powerful one."

"But won't that kill me?!"

"Unless you don't have good control of your flow of aura, it won't. Now get ready."

The two stood a good 15ft away from each other.

"Remember, to catch it you have to use both hands and then try to summon it back towards me," Barloc said.

Aeon nodded and got in a ready stance. He saw Barloc beginning to channel his aura, creating an aura sphere that was huge, and having a blue sphere of energy with trails of blue flames swirling around it. Once Barloc launched it at him, everything felt like time had slowed down. Aeon's heart beat echoed as it closed in on him. He felt his concentration slipping away out of fear, but then remembered his resolve, his reason why he wanted to do this. For Niko. With that, he felt power, substance, freedom and finally all of them changing into concentrated aura.

Aeon reached his hands out and the instant his hands grasped the aura sphere, he channeled the energy towards him, absorbing it, guiding it down, up, and then out with hands thrusting together. At that instant, instead of the same aura sphere Barloc fired, Aeon's was the size of a truck. The aura sphere crumbled the surface of the earth as it headed towards Barloc. Barloc's eyes widen in surprise before bringing his hands out and catching the sphere, absorbing all he could manage before forcing it to disburse into a small explosion.

Aeon panted until a huge smile grew on his face and leaped in the air cheering, "I DID IT!"

Barloc looked at Aeon, completely stunned at the display of power he showed. _"I-Incredible. He let loose more of his own aura that it completely absorbed mine and turn into his own… He is truly a gifted child,"_ Barloc thought.

Barloc approached Aeon and said, "Well done. I want you to keep practicing that whenever you are not training with me. You might be able to manipulate aura, but you need to produce your own as well. Tomorrow I will introduce you to a friend of mine who shares the same cause as both of us."

Aeon nodded with a determined look. He looked at his hands. _"This power. I will be able to change this world if I can master it… I won't let you down Niko."_


End file.
